


Demons, Dragons and Deformation

by TheSmolFlexibleBean



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Blood and Gore, Child Abuse, Child raising, Dark Woods Circus, Established Relationship, M/M, McHanzo - Freeform, Sorry Not Sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-15
Updated: 2017-04-27
Packaged: 2018-10-19 07:48:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10635450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSmolFlexibleBean/pseuds/TheSmolFlexibleBean
Summary: After yet another failed mission to track down Reaper and Talon, Jesse and Hanzo go for a lovely stroll before they are set to return. But without communicators, there is no way for either of them to alert their comrades when they will return. A trip to the circus turns everything upside down as they become part of the very acts that turned their stomachs. With no sight of escape and no contact to the outside world only time will tell what will become of the lovers.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So I'm back with my next McHanzo. This one will be a bit darker than my last and will have a lot of dark themes so if you are triggered by any of the subjects it would be best to turn back now. Hope you all enjoy!

“I can’t believe you lost our communicators.”

  
“In my defense, we were a bit busy at the time darling.” 

  
“Idiot…” 

  
“But I’m your idiot.” 

  
“Sadly.” 

  
Jesse was just finishing getting his clothes back on when he had noticed their communicators were gone and the window was open. His first thought was to check outside but they were nowhere to be found. Now they were stranded in the American MidWest with no way of alerting Overwatch that their mission had not been a success. They had not been able to find any traces of Talon in the small town. Their transport wouldn’t even arrive until the next day so Jesse had suggested ‘the best way to waste a few hours’. They still had the entire night now though and Hanzo wanted to be able to walk the next day as a body can only take so much before it broke down. 

  
“How about a walk darling. We could go see the sights. I definitely saw a nice pond in the park.” 

  
“Getting sentimental are we?” 

  
“Well it is almost Valentine’s Day. I just thought you’d like a little walk before we go back to Gibraltar.” 

  
“A stroll would be nice.” 

  
Jesse smiled sweetly and took his hand as they headed out of their hotel room and out to stroll the town. It seemed almost like a picture frozen in time the way the colors of dusk lazily laid itself out on the horizon. The light of the pond in the park seemed to glisten and shine as they two lovers peered into it from the bridge that stretched its’ lengths, Jesse’s arm wrapped around Hanzo’s waist to hold him close. 

  
Close by kids were laughing and playing with their parents in the dying light, a silent clown handing out fliers with a joyful smile on its’ face. It saw the two lovers and went over, holding a flier which Jesse took and looked over. When he looked back up, the clown was heading away with more fliers in its’ arms. 

  
“A circus? This late at night?” 

  
“Well not the first time I’ve seen something with clowns.” 

  
“Oh you want to go?” 

  
“Why not. It will pass the time, will it not?” 

  
“Well you are right about that...Unless you want to go back to the ro-” 

  
“No.” 

  
“Aww okay darling.” 

  
Jesse let go of Hanzo and took his hand, seeing people heading to the woods where there was soft strings of lights creating a path. They followed the crowd, conversing lightly with other people about this supposed circus. A lot seemed to be going on dates or as a dare for a few teens. As soon as they were within smelling distance they could tell why. 

  
It smelled... _wrong._ It was like someone had taken old meat and wrapped it in tent fabric. Candles were lit around the tent to give it an ominous glow yet so many people seemed oblivious. Jesse gave Hanzo’s hand a nervous squeeze as they approached the clearing with the huge tent. There was people on stilts and all sorts of concessions and everyone seemed to be smiling. 

  
The same thought ran through their minds. _Something was off here and they weren’t sure what it was._ The ticket master was the only person of the circus who wasn’t smiling but that was because they had on a mask. The closer they got to the man the more uneasy Jesse seemed to get. His head was pounding and he could feel the DeadEye on high alert. When they got to the ticket master Jesse realized why. _He could smell decaying skin and acid._

  
“How many tickets…” 

  
“Two.” 

  
“Very well. Twenty bucks.” 

  
Hanzo handed off the money and took the tickets, leading Jesse inside. It was dark, save for a few spotlights in the ring. They had managed to get seats up close in the front row as everyone was sitting farther away. It was as if they knew something that hadn’t quite reached the pair yet. 

  
Soon enough the lights dimmed except for one and the circus began, the ringmaster walking out in pristine clothes and a top hat which he took off and bowed to the audience. 

  
“Ah, you're here, you're here! At the circus for only the dreaded and the deformed, tonight is a night of extravagant delight. For we will display children too feeble for sight God has abandoned. Their quivering limbs, their bodies will clatter with the shivering of their chins with crowns caressing the stars in the sky, and forced little smiles that ask you questions: why? They pray to caress a father's face, they smile as they dream of their mother’s embrace. Drop by to see them all perform at the circus for only the dreaded and the deformed. These bodies distorted with broken figurines to be bent and twisted with nothing left behind but their dreams. To walk on the streets without fear of rejection illuminated by comfort in the wake of acceptance. These children are ones too clueless to have related. Receding in the shadows, hidden and isolated. They know that their families are eating dinner at this time, longing for their love, they eat small and whisper goodbyes. Ah, you're here, you're here! Drop by to see them all perform at the circus for only the dreaded and the deformed. Welcome to the Dark Woods Circus. _It's fun._ ” 

  
The ringmaster put his hat back on and stepped aside as the first act appeared from backstage. It seemed to be a young man with ginger hair combed back and bandages covering half of his pale face. His clothes were tattered and frayed and his smile didn’t reach the one green snake-like eye that was visible. Where his left arm should have been was nothing but a stump and snakes were wrapped around his body as he charmed the serpents and danced to the notes of a tin-like music box. 

  
Jesse could feel his skin crawling the more he looked at the performer. His movements were _wrong_ in every sense. It looked like every movement was sheer agony. The smell was getting worse too and it was making the old cowboy’s stomach churn. When the snake man was done he bowed and some of the bandages came loose. This close you could see that side of his face looked almost like it was melting and his eye was completely gone, an empty socket remaining. The man quickly fixed the bandages and headed backstage again. 

  
“Hanzo, I don’t like this. We should leave.” 

  
“For once...I agree. Something is wrong here.” 

  
They got up and headed outside, Jesse rushing off to vomit in a bush. Today was definitely _not his day_. When he managed to stop vomiting he got up and turned around, looking for Hanzo. _Where did he go._ He felt dread filling him up as he quickly checked inside. No Hanzo. Did he go throw up too? He had noticed the other hadn’t looked well either. 

  
His next idea was to check around the tent and ran into a small doll...No. _It was a child._ The girl looked up and you could see her little pale face was cracked like porcelain and bleeding. She smiled sweetly and waved slightly. He knelt down and looked her over closely. She had soft dark brown eyes and fluffy black hair that was frizzy yet curled. She had on a tattered dress that flared out at the skirt along with stockings with new and old blood running down them and little black shoes. _The whole appearance made her look like an abandoned porcelain doll from a child’s murder scene._

  
She turned and started to walk towards the back of the tent. Maybe Hanzo was there and was confronting the ringmaster! He followed quickly, notiing that as the girl walked, a trail of blood followed her from her legs. He also noticed that when the skirt of her dress moved he could see the parts of her legs that weren’t covered in stockings were pure white porcelain and seemingly stabbed into where her flesh was to make movable limbs. If Hanzo wasn’t confronting that ringleader he sure as hell was going to now. 

  
When he reached the back the smell of decay hit his nose with vengeance and he felt his stomach try to leap up his throat again. His head was pounding too and he was itching to pull his gun out. He saw the girl disappear between two flaps of fabric and began to go after her until a rag was put over his face. He tried to grab his gun but whatever was on that rag was making him uncoordinated. Soon enough darkness surrounded his vision and everything faded to black.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well I have a consultation tomorrow to get my wisdom teeth out so I decided today was the perfect day to put chapter two up! This chapter has some torture and body multilation, just a warning but we finally learn the names of the two children from last chapter! Enjoy~

When Jesse’s eyes opened once more he knew he was in  _ deep trouble. _ He couldn’t feel anything, like he was in a dream and his vision was blurry. He tried to move his arms but something was holding him in place. It was the same for his legs. He tried to take in his surroundings but he couldn’t even turn his head, panic rising in his chest.  _ He was restrained. _ The more his eyes focused, the more he realized he wasn’t alone in the room.   


  
Only a few feet away was Hanzo, head bowed and silent. Jesse tried to call out to him but his mouth was gagged.  _ Shit maybe they were wrong about Talon being here? Was all the stuff before an illusion and ploy? _ He struggled in his bindings which made Hanzo look up fast. The other was thankfully not gagged and they exchanged a knowing look. When Hanzo spoke, his voice seemed hoarse.   


  
“I went to confront the ringmaster. I was knocked out. Are you okay?”   


  
Jesse managed to nod before they heard the rattling of a cart. Jesse could feel the DeadEye trying to break through but every time it got close he felt a shock go through his body. He then noticed Hanzo was wearing a collar.  _ A shock collar. _ Did he have one on as well? It would explain why he got shocked but not why he had gotten shocked for the DeadEye trying to save him.   


  
He didn’t have any more time to think as a man in a bloodied lab coat and face mask walked in wheeling a cart full of what looked like medical equipment and power tools. The man was closely followed behind by the ringmaster who was in a white button up and khaki pants, chestnut hair tied back in a ponytail with their dark eyes without emotion. Jesse immediately shut his eyes and let his head relax, slightly hoping they would let them go if they pretended to still be knocked out.   


  
“What do you think Stewart. Think they are good enough specimens?”   


  
“Yes sir. The asian man definitely has slender and powerful features and the cowboy is wild and untamed. I can work with this. Did you bring me the modified bird wings?”   


  
“Of course. I didn’t pay all that money to that Talon lab not to get huge reptilian wings!”   


  
“Very good. Which shall I start with.”   


  
“Our new dragon  _ of course. _ And your new collars work wonders. Nothing can break through, not even that little girl’s hypnotic singing. We finally can control the powers of these freaks.”   


  
“I try my best sir. Hand me that gag.”   


  
Jesse opened his eyes as he watched through the hair that had fallen in front of his face as Hanzo was gagged and his head was strapped into place.  _ Damn. Now neither of them could call for help...not like it would come anyways. _ He watched the ringmaster leave for a moment and return with a separate cart covered in a white fabric. On it was what looked like the parts of a dog and whatever those ‘reptilian wings’ they had spoken of before. He felt his blood go completely cold when he realized what was about to happen.   


  
The one in the lab coat...Stewart...pulled out a syringe and stabbed it into Hanzo’s neck as he screamed before going oddly quiet and limp.  _ Tranquilizer maybe? _ Jesse watched them loosen the straps around Hanzo’s head and upper body along with taking the gag out, before pushing him forward as they adjusted the straps on the chair to hold him in place in the doubled over position. Only then did Jesse notice Hanzo wasn’t wearing a shirt...and he didn’t have one on either. The restraints were rough against his skin but he didn’t dare move as if the tiny shred of hope he had left would set them free.

 

Then that last shred of hope was swiftly taken from him as Stewart grabbed a knife and sliced open Hanzo’s back, the ringmaster laughing at the strangled screams that were coming from the sedated Japanese man. Each cut made Jesse’s stomach tighten more and more until the ringmaster looked right at him.  _ Shit he knew. _   


  
“Enjoying the show cowboy? I hope you are because you’re going to be next. I’ve always wanted  _ a pet after all. _ ”   


  
Jesse knew his little charade was up and instead tried to struggle for his life and the life of Hanzo which was being taken away in front of him. He just needed to break this damn chair or wear out the restraints and he could take these guys with no problem!   


  
Instead the ringmaster raised a little remote and pressed a button, shocking Jesse as he yelped, muffled by the gag in his mouth. The ringmaster laughed and walked over, taking the gag out of Jesse’s mouth with a smirk.   


  
“I didn’t hear that  _ puppy. _ Speak.”   


  
“Who are you! What do you want with us!”   


  
“Me? Well you can call me  _ your master _ for one. I own this circus of freaks and fun and you are  _ never seeing daylight again. _ ”   


  
“Overwatch will find us! You can’t get away with this!”   


  
“Overwatch? Ha. Their activities are illegal now and I have a leg up on the system. Government and cops don’t bother you when  _ you pay them off. _ ”

 

“You’re a monster. Worse than Satan himself.”   


  
“Thanks for the compliment but you better stop talking or else  _ the little puppy gets a punishment. _ ”   


  
“No! You can’t shut me up no matter how you t-”   


  
He didn’t get to finish his sentence as he screamed out in pain. He should have noticed the bottle on the cart.  _ He should have recognized the smell of acid. _ His body felt like it was being burned yet not in the sense of cigarettes and cigar burns like his Deadlock days of youth. The ringmaster only laughed in response and turned away to attend back to Hanzo whose back was fully opened now.  _ Jesse could see the other’s ribs through his tears. _   


  
Slowly the ringmaster and Stewart worked, attaching muscles and nerves and blood vessels between the ‘wings’ and Hanzo’s back before digging scales into the area around the wings, on his slender legs, over parts of his chest and even around one of his eyes to make him look  _ like a dragon hybrid. _ Only then did they unstrap him completely and two men came in ad dragged him off. Jesse couldn’t see what they looked like as he was trying to blink away the tears.   


  
“Well looks like the little pup learned his lesson.”   


  
“Bastard.”   


  
“Hm? What was that  _ pet? _ ”   


  
“N-Nothin.”   


  
“That’s what I thought. Stewart, what do you recommend?”   


  
“We’re low on funds so of course some fun. Then some new teeth and the rest.”   


  
Jesse shut his mouth so fast he didn’t even have to think about it.  _ Like hell they were going to put their hands anywhere near his face. _ He watched them, eyes glaring as they wiped off the equipment they had used on Hanzo. These men were  _ monsters. _   


  
When they finally decided that the wait was long enough to set the cowboy at an unease the ringmaster took the knife off the equipment cart and held it over Jesse’s stomach with a smirk.   


  
“Any last words?”   


  
“Rot. In. Hell.”   


  
The knife went into his stomach and he screamed again, shutting his eyes tight. He knew the ringmaster was taking it slow, drawing out the pain. He had also figured out why they had sedated Hanzo; he must have put up a fight when they took him. He wasn’t a stranger to torture though, Reyes had trained him after all. His eyes only snapped open when he felt a hand go  _ inside of his body. _ Shit, he couldn’t see what they were doing! He figured it out quickly enough when he felt something being cut and removed from his abdominal cavity as he tried to hold back his screams.  _ Organ harvesting. Just had to be organ harvesting. _   


  
When he was all stitched up he allowed himself to open his mouth if only just to take precious gulps of air. The two men only laughed at this and got together more items before shoving something into his mouth to keep it open. He could see what looked like dental crowns for canine teeth but they were longer than they should have been. They were placed in his mouth as if it was a ‘reward’ since there was no pain to associate it with. Either that or his body had gone numb and shut down his nerves. Either way he was slightly thankful for it.   


  
Once the equipment was taken from his mouth he realized it wasn’t getting them in that was the painful part. It was the aftereffect of them rubbing against the inside of his mouth and his gums that was supposed to be the ‘fun’ result. He tried to keep his mouth partly open to keep from hurting himself but it was hard.   


  
Maybe he’d get off easy? They seemed to be looking him over before nodding to each other. Jesse shut his eyes tight, knowing damn well he was in for more ‘fun’ as they put it. He could also feel his DeadEye, that damn demon in him, trying to test how close it could get to the shock. It seemed almost like it was training Jesse out of the pain of the shocks. He wasn’t sure if it was a good thing or not at this point.   


  
The next thing he felt, too afraid to open his eyes, was something slicing open his head. He didn’t care what was happening anymore. He knew they were adding something to his head but he didn’t  _ dare _ even open his eyes a crack. When it was over he let out a shaky breath. Yes, he was definitely going numb in parts of his body.   


  
It seemed the worst was over now so he dared let his eyes open.  _ It was then he knew he made a grave mistake. _ He felt the gloved hand of the ringmaster on his face, forcing his left eye open as what looked like a needle was in the other hand.  _ Shit he was going to die from this if it kept up! _ He tried to shout, to cry out but the needle was slowly, meticulously forced into his eye and he could only let out a strangled screech, throat raw by this point. He was too weak to fight back, too worn down to even try and his vision on the left side went slightly golden before the needle was removed and he could shut his eye. Every time he blinked was a mix of red blood and whatever bits of golden fluid that had escaped being injected.   


  
He was feeling so dizzy, so nauseous now that he felt like if he went through anything more he might vomit. He knew damn well if he did it would go into his lungs since his head was strapped down still. At least it was until they took the strap off so his head could loosely hand. Well...At least he’d be able to vomit now. He could see more now, like how his pants were missing, his clothes discarded nearby. There was a huge acid burn down his right arm that had finally seemed to have calmed down. He could also see he was down most of his left arm.  _ Bastards took his bioware. _ He could see the terribly stitched up wound across his stomach.  _ He could see he had no future ahead of him and neither did Hanzo. _ They slowly undid the strap around his torso next and then his legs.  _ They were seeing if he was going to run away. _   


  
He didn’t dare, not whilst Hanzo was also trapped here. He couldn’t leave him behind...no...he  _ wouldn’t _ leave him behind. He saw the ringmaster smirk and felt him pet his head  _ affectionately, as if he were a dog. _   


  
“Good boy. You get a treat.”   


  
He didn’t dare speak as he noticed one last item on the cart.  _ That was a wolf tail. Shit they weren’t don’t with him yet.  _ He took a calming breath as he noticed the clear plastic sheeting on the ground under him. It was covered in blood. He wasn’t even sure how much belonged to him and how much belonged to Hanzo and didn’t even have a moment to contemplate it before he was pulled out of the chair and pushed down into it. The smell was so strong and his whole body was aching. Everything started going dark in his vision and for once, he was glad to be passing out.   


  
When he came back to the land of consciousness everything felt...dizzy. He felt lightheaded and a bit loopy. Was it blood loss? He couldn’t tell. He could tell that he couldn’t see anything on the right hand side. He managed to pick himself up into a sitting position, hearing the rattling of a chain as he moved.   


  
He took the moment to examine his surroundings. He was in a cage yet the door to it was open and there was a chain leading out to the area that almost looked like a modified dog run for pets.  _ Oh yeah. The ringmaster called him ‘my pet’.  _ He shuddered at the thought and continued his observations. There was cages all around his and every single one had a mirror, including his. He went over to the mirror and took in his appearance. His abdomen, arm and head was bandaged along with his right eye. He had dog ears now and his one visible eye had a gold iris and...That was a tail. He looked like some sort of furry’s dream. He at least had some pants on so it wasn’t a total loss. Then he remembered.  _ Hanzo! _ He used the bars of the cage to make his way to the more open dog run area, the chain following him.   


  
So he was chained up like a common animal. Well, at least the aesthetic of it all was kept up with dog dishes that had Jesse written on them. As soon as he was in an area he could see better he took stock of his surroundings. Most of the other performers were completely unconscious.  _ Probably from being overworked. _ His eyes then landed on the snake man and the doll girl, reaching towards each other from separate cages and only their hands being able to connect.   


  
This close, he could notice much more of the snake boy. The fact he had a forked tongue and that he was dangerously thin for his size. He also was much younger appearing than he first thought, maybe only in his early teens. The little girl looked very similar to him too.  _ Maybe siblings? _ They were completely quiet and the little girl seemed to be almost writing into the older boy’s hand with her finger.  _ One of them had to be blind for them to come up with a strategy of not speaking. _   
  


Then he heard it, a soft groaning he was all too familiar with as he rushed to the opposite side of his prison only to get choked by his collar and fall on his ass.  _ Damn the chain was too short! _ He saw Hanzo slowly pick himself up in the cage next to his pen area and open his eyes, looking about. The way he held himself was no longer the haughty man he fell in love with but a broken and scared one. 

  
He wanted to reach out and touch him, to move the hair from his face and tell him everything was going to be okay but he knew that it wasn’t. They were just victims of this hell on Earth. Hanzo soon realized where he was and what had happened, eventually locking eyes with Jesse and reaching his arm out. Jesse got up and tried to do the same, to brush their fingers together but they were just out of reach. They both let their arms fall.   


  
“Jesse…”   


  
“I know. I know.”   


  
“Your face.”   


  
“Doesn’t matter. You okay?”   


  
“Heh...ever the worrier. I am just light headed. Heavy.”   


  
“Well it might uhm…”   


  
“Might what?”   


  
“It might be the dragon wings.”   


  
Hanzo went quiet, turning to face the mirror in his own cage. Jesse could see the pained expression reflected to him. How Hanzo slowly reached up to touch the scales around his right eye and wince at the pain. Silence passed between them until the young boy looked in the general direction their voices had come from but not at them.  _ So he was the blind one. _ He spoke softly but it was easy to tell he was American, NorthEastern in Jesse’s best estimate. Jesse knew that it was better if he spoke, Hanzo not even registering the other had spoken.   


  
“Who...You’re new.”   


  
“Yeah. You two siblings?”   


  
“Yes.”   


  
“Mm. Name’s Jesse. The other voice was Hanzo. How long have you been here?”   


  
“Two years. Since June was four and I was...eleven.”   


  
“You’re only thirteen?!”   


  
“Yes.”   


  
June tapped the boy’s hand and he nodded softly, as if agreeing to a shared thought.   


  
“My name is Xavier. We’re from New York. Where are you from?”   


  
“Everywhere and nowhere. Overwatch currently.”   


  
“Did you come to save us?”   


  
“We should have…”   


  
“So you are victims too.”   


  
“Yeah…”   


  
“May God have mercy on your soul.”   


  
Xavier went quiet after that, turning back to his sister as they exchanged silent messages written on scarred skin. Jesse knew then and there it was hopeless. They had no means of escape. They were going to be stuck here until the day they died and he knew what every performer knew when joining. That would either be a short wait or the longest agony.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- June is selective mute and Xavier is completely blind [half by acid, half by botched eye procedure done by ringmaster]  
> \- The children are half-siblings  
> \- I PROMISE THEY WILL BE SAVED


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter is a little off pace and involves a timeskip but WE FINALLY FINISH THE CIRCUS PART OF THE FIC. Rest will all be fluffy and slight angst and child raising so from here on out no more torture [hopefully]. Enjoy.

“It’s been three weeks Lucio. Something has to be wrong.”   


  
“Tracer, if they have not communicated with us then there’s nothing we can do. We have no location on them.”   


  
“Can’t we just try again?”   


  
“Alright.”   


  
Lucio turned back to the computer screen and tried once again to turn on their communicators. Once again, it didn’t connect. He sighed and shook his head, knowing that they weren’t charged which meant only three options. They lost them, they were kidnapped or...they were dead. The first two options were heavily unlikely in his eyes. After all, they were two hard core fighters! They would have sent a distress signal at least! He turned back to Tracer and he could see that she’d reached the same conclusion. He got up and gently hugged her as Mercy rushed in.   


  
“I think I might have something!”   


  
“Huh?”   


  
“Back in the old days when communicators were lost we installed tracking chips in the bioware of Overwatch members and some Blackwatch members as well. Though those were snuck in. Look, just plug this into the computer!”   


  
Lucio let go of Tracer and rushed over, grabbing it and going to the computer console, plugging in and getting to work. It didn’t take long before a small blinking dot appeared on the screen.  _ It was moving towards California. _ That meant they were alive! Right? Or at least Jesse was. He saw Tracer’s eyes light up in glee.   


  
“Alright Lucio, you and Lena watch the screen. I’ll assemble a team. We’ll find them yet!”   


  
Meanwhile out on the road, Jesse was locked in his cage in the back of a huge truck with the other performers.  _ The damned things had wheels. Figures. _ At least he was finally unchained, close to Hanzo and the two kids. That meant he could do whatever he could to comfort them.   


  
Currently, that meant running his fingers through Hanzo’s hair. He hadn’t noticed until they left but...his hair ribbon had gone missing. He got to see why when they were being wheeled out.  _ The damn ringmaster had tied it around Jesse’s bioware are like a trophy. _ He sighed through his nose at the memory as Hanzo gently grabbed his wrist.   


  
“Enough.”   


  
“Oh. Sorry Hanzo.”   


  
“It is...fine. I just want to lie down.”   


  
Jesse sat back and Hanzo laid down on his stomach, relaxing as best he could.  _ Three weeks of this all, traveling from place to place for one night shows. It was degrading and disgusting. _ Jesse had learned the names of the other acts along the way. Madison was the tightrope walker with no arms and a corset piercing in her back to keep her ‘thin’. She was from Germany with soft blonde hair and gentle blue eyes. Dmitri was a Russian man with faded purple hair and hazel eyes and he was forced to be the fire breather. They were the only living members currently but at one point there had apparently been so many more.   


  
He also learned through Madison the history of the circus. It had been normal once upon a time. Before the Omnic Crisis was even a thought. It was a thriving place full of laughter with death-defying stunts. That was also back when the ringmaster’s wife was alive and Stewart wasn’t on staff. It was also called Harpy’s Circus of Wonder after he ringmaster’s wife stage name. She was apparently a trapeze artist.   


  
But that was before the crisis...The circus was struck hard and nearly destroyed. Harpy and many others were slaughtered that night and it turned the ringmaster cold. He grew distant to the performers and the circus began to fail. Only then did Stewart come along, a scientist belonging to Talon. The ringmaster was too far gone to realize what would happen and took him on to treat the remaining performers.   


  
That’s when it became the circus it was now. A demented freak show that only reflected what was once a place of sheer joy. The two adults were currently sleeping, Dmitri’s arm wrapped around the waist of Madison as if it could tie their souls down to the Earth and give them peace.   


  
June and Xavier were thankfully asleep too and Jesse was glad for that. They seemed so broken from it all, just as hopeless as Jesse had been when they were first deformed. Now that he thought about it, he had not suffered as bad as the others had. 

 

Sure, now he had a working tail and ears but he could still see, he could hear, he could speak. Dmitri couldn’t speak. Madison would never feel the touch of flowers between her fingers. June wouldn’t speak except in whispers yet her voice when she sang was like heaven itself. Xavier could communicate with animals but couldn’t see anything. Hanzo had huge dragon wings that he could now work but at the beginning had made him incredibly light headed.   


  
They were all unique yet broken. A family all taken from their homes or saw their homes destroyed. Jesse heard Xavier stir and he tapped on the bars on his cage with his knuckles to signify he was awake. He watched the boy rub his eyes and focus towards the area of the sound.   


  
“Who…”   


  
“Jesse. Don’t worry. We’re not there yet.”   


  
“Mm...Okay.”   


  
“Go back to sleep. You need it.”   


  
“What about...what about you.”   


  
“I’ve survived on less.”   


  
“You sound exhausted.”   


  
“Just sleep Xavier. You need it more than me.”   


  
“Both of you sleep.”   


  
Jesse hadn’t realized Hanzo was still awake and let out a surprised squeak. It didn’t help that Hanzo had decided to pinch him.  _ He just barely missed one of the damn whip wounds. _ He sighed and laid down on his side.  _ He refused to use the huge dog bed, he hadn’t sunk that low yet. _ He made sure his back was against the cage bars, partly for the cool metal against his healing skin but also so Hanzo could reach over and rub his back.

  
That was one thing he cherished more than anything when they were moving about.  _ Hanzo was always right next to him. _ He felt the light brush of Hanzo’s fingers tracing shapes into his back and finally relaxed, his eyes slipping shut.   


  
When they opened again he could no longer feel Hanzo’s hand on him. He also noticed his pen was set up and he was chained once more.  _ Damn he slept through the unloading.  _ He looked around to see that the cages had been shifted around too to make a circle, a more open area than what he had seen before now.  _ So they were loading and unloading everyone for performances for the public.  _ **_Fun._ ** He sighed and sat up, seeing the ringmaster walk in with Stewart and the stagehands following.   


  
_ The Stagehands. _ Now that was something that could unsettle anyone. They were identical triplets but they had a ‘See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil’ theme to them. Apparently they used to be the contortionists back in the day, the triplet boys Abel, Andrew and Aaron. Abel had his eyes carved out. Andrew had acid poured into his ears. Aaron got the ‘privilege’ of having his vocal cords removed.

 

No matter how you put it they looked completely dead, living corpses that followed the ringmaster’s heels like tangled marionettes that were being led by a single string of fate. The ringmaster ended up stopping in front of Jesse’s cage, smirking. On the other side of the circle of cages he could see Hanzo, sleeping soundly with his wings tucked around him like a shield or barrier from the outside world.   


  
“Come on puppy. Time to train.”   


  
“Fuck off.”   


  
“I said  _ time to train. _ ”   


  
Jesse was pulled harshly against the barrs as his forehead struck the metal hard.  _ Well there was another bruise. _ His visible eye remained defiant though as the ringmaster spat venom with his words.   


 

  
“You will  _ obey me  _ you mangy pup. I  _ own you now. _ Don’t forget that. I can take your life and the life of your precious dragon.  _ Out.  _ **_NOW._ ** ”   
  


 

The ringmaster let go of the chain and Jesse hung his head, getting out of the cage and going to the pen which was then opened by the stagehands and he was unchained, not daring to lash out as he was dragged into the center of the ring.   


  
That was when ‘training’ began once more. It was more breaking his spirit since he chained to the outside of his cage now and forced to do tricks that were more akin to animalistic than human. He was mostly trying to figure out why the hell the Talon scientist was here.   


  
“Sit.”   


  
Jesse sat automatically and was given the ‘Stay’ command as Stewart walked over.  _ No knives, no cart. Looks like it was just ‘health inspection’. His bandages were taken off and changed. They never touched the ones over his right eye though. _ He knew why too, because there wasn’t any harm done to it. They were just blinding the DeadEye. Once the bandages were changed a needle and thread were brought out. Jesse quirked a brow but then her face was seized up by Stewart and the needle was forced into his lips.   


  
_ They were sewing his damn mouth shut! _ He tried to fight back, to pull his head away but it was received with shocks from the collar that made him scream out. Stewart just held is head straight and did the sewing without even a hint of an expression.   


  
When it was over his face was let go and he fell back against his heels, trying to open his mouth. He only got about an inch before the pain spread across his face and blood trickled down his face. Stewart left after that, whistling a faint tune as the ringmaster pulled his whip out.   


  
“Such a bad puppy. Guess you need some punishment!”   


  
The whip hit hard against his back, opening up his old wounds as he yelped, tears coming to his eyes.  _ Every time he tried to scream out his face just hurt worse.  _ Now he was terrified of ripping out the stitches. Would the punishment be worse?  _ At least the ringmaster was done whipping him. _ The stagehands brought him back to his pen and chained him up properly, secretly removing the stitches from his face when nobody was looking.   


  
Finally, he laid on his stomach across the dog bed in the pen and shut his eyes, hearing a familiar voice echoing in his head. Three weeks and the bastard finally decided to join him. Yet, he was faint, as if weak.   


  
_ “You could have taken him vaquero.” _ __   
  


“Shut up…”   


  
_ “You’ve grown soft. Maybe it is because of that little dragon of yours.” _   


  
“I said shut it.”   


  
_ “Well since I cannot see, I can only assume. Set me free Vaquero.” _   
  


Jesse growled and pulled at the bandages over his eye, blinking in the light that was now streaming in. He felt the voice get louder in his head.   


  
_ “Much better, yet I grow weak. We will speak again vaquero, back in Gibraltar. Watch for the eyes that do not belong.” _   
  


Well his DeadEye was cryptic as ever. He sighed and placed the bandages back in the correct position before shutting his eyes, deciding to take a nap before the circus began for the night. Honestly, it was the only sleep he ever got and they had decided to cover the cages and his pen until it was showtime so at least it would be dark enough to get some sleep.   


 

  
_ “Ah, you're here, you're here! At the circus for only the dreaded and the deformed, tonight is a night of extravagant delight. For we will display children too feeble for sight God has abandoned. Their quivering limbs, their bodies will clatter with the shivering of their chins with crowns caressing the stars in the sky, and forced little smiles that ask you questions: why? They pray to caress a father's face, they smile as they dream of their mother’s embrace. Drop by to see them all perform at the circus for only the dreaded and the deformed. These bodies distorted with broken figurines to be bent and twisted with nothing left but their dreams. To walk on the streets without fear of rejection illuminated by comfort in the wake of acceptance. These children are ones too clueless to have related. Receding in the shadows, hidden and isolated. They know that their families are eating dinner at this time, longing for their love, they eat small and whisper goodbyes. Ah, you're here, you're here! Drop by to see them all perform at the circus for only the dreaded and the deformed. Welcome to the Dark Woods Circus. It's fun.” _

 

 

Jesse sat up as the cloths covering them all were pulled away one by one. The kids were staring at nothing with blank faces as was Madison and Dmitri.  _ The usual ‘brain dead’ performers. _ He noticed even Hanzo was doing it slightly, acting like the dragon he was supposed to be. Then he noticed what his DeadEye had said.  _ The eyes that didn’t match the crowd. _   


  
Mercy...It was Angela and Genji! He decided to go all out and let himself get into it, decided to be the broken man he should have become already, pulled at his chain and growling like a wild animal.   


  
He kept the little act up as Xavier danced with snakes that they all knew would be killed after the show, June sang like an angel, Madison did the high wire and Dmitri did fire breathing. Only then was it Hanzo’s turn as the aerial silks tumbled from the ceiling.   


  
“Now we go to the heart of Japan where dragons and humans create ghastly offspring, unable to reach the skies of their fathers yet are terrified of the ground their mother walks on!”   


  
Hanzo walked to the silks and grabbed hold, his eyes held steady on the crowd. Jesse followed his gaze to see it was right at his brother in a ‘where the fuck have you been’ way. Jesse took the time to curl up in his dog bed and watch Hanzo spin and glide through the air on the silks, all whilst maintaining the most perfect glare at his brother.   


  
When his act was over he was led back to his cage by the stagehands and Jesse’s pen was opened. He got up, keeping the wild animal act up as he kept lunging for the nearest person until the whip cracked. Then he whimpered and settled down at the ringmaster’s feet.   


  
“Finally, we have my personal pet, a werewolf that never quite made the cut. Quite the specimen. Go on boy,  _ give the crowd a show. _ ”   


  
He mentally sighed and started doing tricks for the crowd; jumping through hoops and all sorts of degrading things common to circus  _ animals _ than a person. But, he wasn’t really a person anymore since he got deformed. Once it was over he was dragged back to his cage and linked back up to the chain as he growled.   


  
“Now, I invite you all to take a closer look at these poor, decrepit creatures! Enjoy yourselves!”   


  
He could see Genji practically shooting up to go closer but Mercy held him in place until the crowd thickened up a bit. Jesse lost sight of them after that and decided to ham up the wolf act by making all sorts of dog sounds.  _ He needed to be a distraction. _ When he heard a scream he knew the act was over and went quiet as the crowd dispersed.   


  
In the middle of the ring laid the bodies of Stewart and the ringmaster, dead as dirt.  _ Finally, it was over. _ He stood up and brushed himself off, a calm expression on his face. The triplets were opening cages and releasing everyone in a flash, finishing with Jesse as he walked out.   


  
“Tracking device?”   


  
“Yes.”   


  
“Thank god...Let’s go home...And bring the others with.”   


  
“Okay. Everyone follow me. We want to help you.”   


  
Hanzo was almost a blur as he rushed over and tackled Jesse, holding him tight which caused the cowboy to fall over, laughing. Xavier and June were already together and holding hands. Dmitri was carrying Madison bridal style. The triplets were looking everywhere but towards them. Jesse managed to get up, Hanzo still attached.   


  
“Don’t worry. They’re from Overwatch. Where me and Hanzo are from. You can trust them.”   


  
There was a small exchange of unspoken words through sign language and, in the case of the children, hand writing. Only then did they follow Genji and Mercy out of the tent, blinking in the light. When everyone was out Hanzo let go of Jesse and petted his hair.  _ This was the affection he really wanted. _   


  
“Good boy.”   


  
“Heh. Don’t you start.”   


  
They walked out, hand in hand, to the transport back to Gibraltar. Finally, their lives could continue on. The doors of the plane were closed but they did not yet take off. Mercy was tending to everyone’s wounds, working her way around. Genji was getting the collars off. June wasn’t having any of it though and kept squirming away which made Xavier protect her by covering her with his body. Jesse decided to tap the plane siding above him to get Mercy’s attention before pointing to himself.   


  
She got the idea quickly enough and went over, getting the collar off and working on him well in the sight of June. Eventually June made a soft noise and Mercy went over, taking care of the two kids. Only then did they take off.   


  
The ride was soothing and Hanzo had already fallen asleep beside him. The weeks of lack of proper sleep finally hit him like a freight train and he was out like a light.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so here we are once again with a new update! We've hit sheer fluff territory now and it won't be ending anytime soon! Enjoy~

When Jesse woke up again he felt...warm. He couldn’t open his eyes though...or was there bandages over them. He sighed, hearing the soft beeping of machines.  _ They were in the medbay or a hospital. It was the only two options. _ He listened for any other noises around him, anything to tell him where he was but he only heard more machines. Well...It was better than nothing.   


  
Then there was the soft clicking of heels on a tiled floor and Jesse turned his head towards the sound. There was a small laugh before he felt someone ruffle his hair.  _ Medbay. He knew Mercy’s actions too well by this point. _   


  
“Welcome back to the land of the living Jesse. How are you feeling.”   


  
“Sore…”   


  
“Well that is understandable. We had to do a lot of work to get you back to normal.”   


  
“The others…”

  
“Still sleeping. Can you sit up?”   


  
“I can try.”   


  
He slowly sat up, wincing slightly. He heard Angela fixing the bed so it gently rested against his back before he felt her hands on his face. The pressure over his eyes slowly receded and he let them slowly open.   


  
“Well. Looks like there’s no damage to your DeadEye but we will need to keep the other one covered until all the fluid drains. We managed to reattach your bioware with no problem. You’re off duty for a few months until you are back to normal. So plenty of naps.”   


  
“Hanzo.”   


  
“He went through surgery fine. No lasting issues except for his blood count. It should level out now that we have those wings off.”   


  
“And the others.”   


  
“Jesse. Everyone is fine. Focus on your own recovery for now.”   


  
“Okay.”   


  
Angela changed the bandage over his left eye and wrapped it up so he’d still be able to see before she went on to change and clean the rest of his wounds.  _ Thank god he was completely numb from it all or he might have yelped in pain. _ As she finished up she set a tray of food down and smiled.   


  
“You are okay for walking but at least eat something first. You look like you lost some weight and we both know that isn’t suited for you.”   


  
“Thanks Angie.”   


  
“Any time Jesse.”   


  
She walked off and he started eating.  _ Tasted like Reinhardt’s cooking. He always enjoyed that. _ He smiled and made sure not to completely inhale it. Still, he finished it quicker than he should have. At least there was something in his stomach now, he was glad for that. Food meant energy and energy meant he could heal.   


  
It didn’t take him long before he was going stir crazy in the hospital bed though.  _ Well, she said he could walk around. _ He slowly managed to get out of the bed and shuffled out, shivering lightly.  _ Why was it always so cold in here! _ He shuffled back and grabbed the blanket off the bed, wrapping it around himself before shuffling back out and heading to the bathroom.

  
It took one look at himself to realize how bad it had been. His head was completely bandaged up along with the left side of his face. He had bandages all down the arm that had been destroyed by acid and everything between his shoulders and his hips was covered in bandages. His neck was still red from the shock collar and there was a nice large bandage over the spot that had been damaged from the constant shocks.   


  
The thought finally crossed his mind to check on the others and he pulled the blanket tighter around himself as he shuffled out of the bathroom and to the first cut off area. It was the triplets. It seemed they were healing well and had bioware installed. Abel had bandages over his eyes and Aaron had them around his neck. Jesse figured even Mercy couldn’t fix Andrew’s ears.  _ At least they seemed to be sleeping without pain. _   


  
He moved to the next area where he could see Madison and Dmitri. Their beds were pushed together and it seemed at some point they had woken up since they were practically cuddling. Madison had bioware arms that were slender and fit her ballerina-esque frame perfectly. Dmitri was only covered in bandages.   


  
The next set of beds was the siblings. Xavier’s eyes were wrapped up and he had a bioware arm to replace the stump that had been there before. June had bioware legs too and she was sucking her thumb in her sleep. None of the former performers and stagehands were wearing their costumes anymore, now replaced with baggy white shirts and simple pants.  _ It reminded him a lot of a hospital ward...though that was probably the point. _   


  
Finally, at the other end of the medbay, he found Hanzo. He was sleeping peacefully with bandages wrapped around his body and hair in tangles.  _ Was it bad he had the urge to pick up Hanzo and brush his hair? _ He thought better of it and instead found a chair, pushing it next to Hanzo’s bed and gently taking his hand.   


  
The other stirred slightly, squeezing Jesse’s hand as he smiled.  _ Well, at least he was comfortable and wasn’t slapping him in his sleep. _ Jesse couldn’t even help nodding off like that, face against the bed and holding his lover’s hand securely.   


  
When he woke up again everyone seemed to finally be stirring and he couldn’t feel Hanzo’s hand anymore. He sat up and rubbed at his eye as he looked about.  _ Yeah, everyone was definitely awake. _ He got up from the chair and shuffled into view. Bandages were being removed off of those who could have it and injuries were being swiftly healed.  _ Thank you Angela and your freaky ass staff. _ The triplets were finally all speaking and signing to each other and Jesse realized swiftly  _ They had the most Spanish accents. He’d figured they were from the UK. _ Jesse smiled and they waved, smiles on all their faces. He walked over and Abel and Aaron just couldn’t stop talking.   


  
“Gracias!”   


  
“Yeah thanks! We can finally go home!”   


  
“You three have a home?”   


  
“Si! Back in Mexico. We left home to earn money for our family.”   


  
“After Harpy fell there was no more money so our family worked their butts off.”   


  
“To hire investigators! And we’re going home.”   


  
“Well I’m glad. Tell your folks I say hi.”   


  
“We will!”   


  
They went off to go get cleaned up before they were to leave for their transport. Next he ran into Madison and Dmitri. Madison was in Dmitri’s lap, his arms around her.   


  
“Oh Jesse. Looks like you are finally up.”   


  
“Heh, yep. Took a little nap there.”   


  
“Did you hear the news?”   


  
“About the triplets? Yeah.”   


  
“Well, that and me and Dmitri are going to Russia. He has family back home. Since my family passed in the crisis I thought, well, why not.”   


  
“You two love birds enjoy it. I hear they have the most beautiful flowers.”   


  
“Thank you Jesse. For everything.”   


  
They headed out of the medbay to get on their transport and he found Hanzo who was trying to brush his hair but wincing every time he brought his arms up.   


  
“Come here. I got ya.”   


  
“I don’t need your help.”   


  
“Yeah? And pigs fly.”   


  
“I still don’t understand that.”   


  
“Just get a chair and give me the brush.”   


  
“Fine.”   


  
Hanzo brought a chair out and Jesse sat down, patting his lap as Hanzo rolled his eyes and sat on the floor instead.  _ Well, can’t have everything. _ He took the hairbrush and gently started working the knots out of Hanzo’s hair, knowing better than to just rip into his hair like he often did to himself. He saw Mercy out of the corner of his eye and gestured with his head to go get the golden ribbon that Hanzo was so fond of. She gave a nod in understanding and went to go get it.   


  
Jesse went back to his task at hand, humming softly which got the attention of the two kids who had been too nervous to leave their hospital beds. He heard the soft noise of someone getting out of a bed and listened for either the sound of metal or flesh on their cold tiles. The soft surprised noise he heard told him it was Xavier.  _ Must be barefoot. _   


  
Mercy soon returned with the ribbon and Jesse tied up his lover’s hair before smiling. He could hear the kids’ soft voices above the sounds of the Medbay and they seemed to be discussing something.   


  
He had been so focused on listening he didn’t realize Hanzo was an inch from his face before he blinked and a blush spread across his cheeks. Hanzo gave him a smile in return and took the blush back, pointing to the ground.  _ Ah, his turn. Wait where did he get scissors?! _ He didn’t think too hard on it before he slid off the chair and onto the ground as Hanzo took his place.   


  
He always loved it when Hanzo brushed his hair out. It was soothing to say the least. As soon as the knots were out, his eyes would always shut and he’d completely relax at what could basically be a massage for his scalp. He soon enough felt the scissors on his face as Hanzo cleaned up his facial hair.  _ He missed this, the intimacy of being cleaned up by his boyfriend early mornings when neither of them could sleep. _   


  
When that was done Hanzo gently pressed a kiss to Jesse’s forehead and got up, heading towards the door as Jesse cracked open his still usable eye.   


  
“Where ya going darling?”   


  
“To my room and  _ my bed. _ I don’t want to deal with my brother right now.”   


  
“Alright. Stay up for me?”   


  
“I’ll...try.”   


  
Jesse smiled and got up, running his fingers through his hair.  _ He needed a shower...Badly. _ He pushed the thought away as he noticed a certain little black haired girl peering around the corner. Jesse turned and gave his best smile as he heard a soft giggle. She then slowly stepped out, holding her brother’s hands to keep balanced and be his eyes as she basically half walked, half toddled over.   


  
“Hi!”   


  
“Well hi there little Junebug. You have a very pretty voice.”   


  
“Thanks.”   


  
“Mister McCree...was it?”   


  
“You can call me Jesse, Xavier.”   


  
“Jesse. We want to stay here.”   


  
“No family to go back to I’m guessing.”   


  
Xavier shook his head lightly and Jesse knew the feeling too well. No family or home, teetering on the edge of despair until you can find stability. It had led Jesse right into DeadLock. He thought for a moment.   


  
“Well that’s easily arranged. I don’t think there’s any extra rooms right now. Unless you don’t mind sharing with someone.”   


  
“Wanna share with you.”   


  
“With me? Well I’d be honored June.”   


  
“Yeah...We discussed it and...We want to stay here and become heroes!”   


  
“Well I guess Winston better make a junior division of Overwatch.”   


  
He knelt down and he gently reached a hand out towards June who flinched and stepped back closer to her brother.  _ He should have known better. She would be scared of contact. _ He let his hand fall and got back up.   


  
“Alright. Follow m-”   


  
He felt something hit his leg and saw June hugging it.  _ Well...that wasn’t expected. _ He chuckled and gently reached back, taking Xavier’s hand lightly. He had to take this slow, make sure he didn’t take the main halls so he wouldn’t crowd the kids. When they reached his room he opened the door.  _ Oh thank god someone cleaned up while he was gone. _   


  
Xavier let go of Jesse’s hand and June rushed over to help her brother to the bed. Jesse couldn’t help but smile as he went to his computer, logging in and putting in a few orders. Clothes, an air mattress and stuffed animals. He even attached a note to explain why he needed the purchases. Was he basically adopting these kids now?  _ Yes.  _ Was he regretting it?  _ Not in the slightest. _ He turned back and saw the kids had fallen asleep on the bunk as he smiled and went over, tucking them in. Well...This was going to be the start of a whole new adventure.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry to say this is the end everyone. It's been quite a run for this one but I have something even more interesting in store for my next one. It'll take a good while to start it though so watch out for it! This chapter ended up being more of an epilogue than a chapter but I'm proud to say I am glad I took the leap to write this, especially with how some of the themes turned out. Enjoy...and thank you.

Jesse had learned so many things in the time that the kids had been at Overwatch. One was June loved rabbits more than anything in the world. He’d caught her watching a wild rabbit with sheer delight on her face a few days back and immediately got her a rabbit stuffed animal and left it on the bed she and her brother had shared which made her nearly squeal in delight. Another was the fact Xavier could actually control animals with his whistling.

 

Jesse knew he had basically adopted the children at this point, giving them the holidays they never got to have before. Presents given with big smiles and gentle words. It was a slow process, building up the trust that had been ripped from them so suddenly years before.   


  
Jesse honestly found it all worthwhile once they became completely comfortable with everyone at the base. They would almost act like kids again, laughing and wrestling with each other. Tracer even gave June little pigtails whenever she woke up from her naps, and boy did June take a lot of naps.   


  
Jesse was sprawled out on the couch today, June sitting on his legs with her stuffed rabbit and Xavier lying on the ground in front of the couch, a pillow under his head. They looked so different now to when he first saw them. 

  
Xavier’s hair was covered in little scrunchies that June put in his hair and he had a blindfold on made of blue and red fabric that he asked for personally. Instead of tattered clothes he wore a baggy shirt and shorts and he had a small snake curled on his back for warmth that slithered in one day and just never left which they ended up naming Heather. June had her little pigtails in and a cute light pink dress was on her body. Her eyes were so full of life and curiosity that it melted everyone’s hearts in an instant.   


  
None of them would forget what happened at that circus though. The pain and terror would follow them like ghosts through a shipwreck, clawing for a hold on their minds. With each other they would recover slowly.   


  
The more Jesse thought about it, the more he realized how lucky he really was. He had a loving boyfriend. He now had two children to take care of who adored him to pieces. He had a home to return to and people who cared about him.   


  
His mind wandered in the next moments, thinking of all the letters he’d received in the past week. Madison and Dmitri were expecting their first child. The triplets were helping out their home town down in Mexico from the gangs that had ravaged it. Everything was finally looking up for him. He was brought from his thoughts as Hanzo cleared his throat.   


  
“Jesse.”   


  
“Hey darling.”   


  
“I think it’s time to put them to bed. June is asleep on your legs.”   


  
“Can you take her?”   


  
“Sure.”   


  
Hanzo gently scooped up the little girl and carried her off to bed as Jesse lightly shook Xavier who whined and rolled over, refusing to wake up. Jesse couldn’t help but laugh and scoop him up lightly, carrying him and the snake that had been knocked off the boy’s chest to bed before tucking the kids in and putting the snake in its cage.   


  
_ Time for some alone time at last. _ He grabbed Hanzo’s hand and walked out to the bridge, pulling him in close. Neither of them cared if people saw anymore. After all, they went through hell, they deserved something as simple as this. Jesse rested his chin on the top of Hanzo’s head as the two lovers watched the sunset slip below the horizon.   


  
_ What more could life be after all than being with the one you love. _


End file.
